Chennai: With India known to have the highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) cases, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), immense pressure is being laid on the country to eliminate the disease soon. On the other hand, the number of kidney transplanted patients has grown significantly in the country. The link between the two is one that many are unaware of. With tuberculosis found to arise in a number of renal transplant recipients, doctors and transplant experts feel that increased awareness about this link is the need of the hour. “Most cases of TB in renal transplant patients occur by the reactivation of a latent infection in the first few months after surgery and during the period of most intense immunosuppression, which is given to ensure that the patient obtains resistance to various pathogens,” said Jijimol, a research student on TB at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology.

Stating that the incidence of this serious complication after renal transplantation is more common in developing countries, Dr Sunil Shroff, Founder, MOHAN Foundation, a not for profit organisation that promotes organ donation and transplantation, said, “Many of the patients who are going for transplant may have a focus of infection. After the transplant, they will be given immunosuppression and, thereby, become more prone to that infection slaring up. Such cases are seen to be highly prevalent in South East Asia.”….Readmore